The secret ingredient is people
I still get movies from my local movie rental store. I know, I know. Local rental shops typically charge more with a smaller selection, and this little rental shop is no different. Yet, I rarely get RedBox, and I cut my Netflix mail rental — I kept the instant queue for MythBusters and Sons of Anarchy. I don’t rent movies because the store also carries ice cream, malts, or homemade candies. You want to know why I rent movies there?
The people.
It helps that they know my name and recommend movies to me, and it definitely helps that if I ask for a movie they don’t have, they’ll order it. The next time I come in, the new movie sits on the counter ready for me. But truth be told, I like them because they are just so darn helpful. I once asked if they carried Wii games, and they said no, but told me a place that did. They sent me to their competition, because it worked best for me.
Remember Miracle on 34th Street? Remember that scene where Santa sends a woman to one of Macy’s competitors to buy a toy train? What happened next?
She became a loyal customer.
Unless you’re a custom builder, powersports enthusiasts can buy your brands and products from stores and websites across the country. So what do you do, online and off, to make sure you’re peopleness shows through?
I can’t think of a single powersports store I’ve gone in that’s not dripping with personality, from the signs, to the setup, to the cool people I meet. If you’re doing even a half-hearted job in your store, your dealership will drip with your business personality.
How do you take that personality and plop it online, so that a researching customer connects with you and sees your coolness?
Customize.
Anywhere and everywhere. Customize everything you can, from the welcome message to the auto responder emails, and all your merchandising, promotions and internal and external links. Make your customers’ online experiences as fun as their store experiences.
For example, rather than an auto respond message “Thank you for your order.”
Add a little flavor, “Thanks, the Awesomeness will arrive soon.”
Whatever it is, make sure it blends well with your business personality. What you say in your dealership, customers should see on your website.
And for Santa’s sake, help people. I know you do a stand-up job in your dealership, but kick it up online. When someone asks an online question, get back to them immediately. People have an insanely low tolerance for waiting online. You’ve got to get to them fast.
When someone asks for a product or service you don’t carry, thank them and genuinely try to find a solution to their problem. It’ll be worth it in the long run.
Finally, when you’re looking for a website provider, make sure you pick one that gives you a healthy portion of help and service.
Like all members of the 50 Below team, Ben Borchert wants to help powersports dealers help their customers. Ben uses his skills as a Marketing Analyst and Writer to empower, educate, and advise dealers in the ever changing realm of online marketing. To view more of Ben’s articles visit www.50below.com/knowledge.
Website: http://www.50below.com/
